Sailing from St Katharines to Blackenberge

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oliverkinchin

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Hello,

I have 4 days off from the 02nd December to the 05th and was hoping to sail from St Katahrines to Blackenberge. The original trip was going to be to sail to Ostend but after looking at other blogs Blackenberge seems a nicer place.

Would anyone have any thoughts or reccommendations that I have to bare in mind apart from what is listed in the Almanac?

My idea would be to leave St Kats on Thursday the 01st around 18:00 and then do a night passage straight over or stop off at Sheerness. I have not planned to return time yet.

As always your advise is much appreciated and I look forward to all your recommendations.

Best wishes,

Oliver
 
Hi

1. Don't forget St kaths is a lock entrance and you need to check opening times - they have a website.

2. No good place to stop at Sheerness. There is at Queenboro- only a mile or two up the R Medway.

Do plan your tides

Best of luck
 
1800 on Thursday 1st December is absolutely bang on the top of the very high spring tide, so you'd have 6 hours of assisting flow to get you down river. You should be able to make Queenborough where there's loads of visitor buoys, then depart Queenborough before 0500 on the 2nd December to catch the next tide out to get you well on the way, with lots of daylight.

On that note though, you'd be looking at going all the way down the river in the dark which might be a bit tiring!

Bare in mind that assuming the weather is OK for the outbound voyage, it may well not be for the return - with such a tight time window. Unless you're not bothered too much about the weather?

My own trip up to St Kats from Queenborough, last year, was into the teeth of force 9. We made 1 knot SOG for the first six hours and had to have a break on a buoy at Gravesend for the night.

Good luck!!
 
Hello, Thank you both for you suggestions. We are based in St Kat's so very happy with lock-out procedures hence leaving on the top of the tide. Sorry, when saying sheerness I meant Queenborough.

I do not mind the Thames at night as done it too many times in most conditions and luckily have more crew to take over the mundane part. Captain Bob, you are right about the weather window and at present it looks a bit uncertain although good northerly winds seem to be predominant although too far out to be certain.

My idea of leaving at 18:00 on the Thursday is because I will not get out on the morning of the 02nd as St Kats staff will not be awake and I will loose a considerable amount of tide.

I would be interested in knowing how many hours it takes for a 32 foot boat, weere the shipping lanes busy and how is the entrance into Blackenberge from an experience point of view.


Thank you for your comments so far.
 
oliverkinchin said:
Hello, Thank you both for you suggestions. We are based in St Kat's so very happy with lock-out procedures hence leaving on the top of the tide. Sorry, when saying sheerness I meant Queenborough.

I do not mind the Thames at night as done it too many times in most conditions and luckily have more crew to take over the mundane part. Captain Bob, you are right about the weather window and at present it looks a bit uncertain although good northerly winds seem to be predominant although too far out to be certain.

My idea of leaving at 18:00 on the Thursday is because I will not get out on the morning of the 02nd as St Kats staff will not be awake and I will loose a considerable amount of tide.

I would be interested in knowing how many hours it takes for a 32 foot boat, weere the shipping lanes busy and how is the entrance into Blackenberge from an experience point of view.


Thank you for your comments so far.
Click to expand...

and how is the entrance into Blackenberge from an experience point of view.

Narrow & shallow dont attempt with a strong on shore wind,
Oostende is all weather
 
Don't forget to read all of the threads about red diesel and the Belgian authorities..... The RYA are currently recommending great caution going to Belgium until the situation resolves itself...
 
We were boarded in Blankenberge during Aug this year. The douanes were not interested in our diesel receipts at all! Mind you we had filled up in Blankenberge.
Entrance is ok unless on shore swell as already posted, depends on keel depth. I guess.
 
oliverkinchin said:
Hello, Thank you both for you suggestions. We are based in St Kat's so very happy with lock-out procedures hence leaving on the top of the tide. Sorry, when saying sheerness I meant Queenborough.

I do not mind the Thames at night as done it too many times in most conditions and luckily have more crew to take over the mundane part. Captain Bob, you are right about the weather window and at present it looks a bit uncertain although good northerly winds seem to be predominant although too far out to be certain.

My idea of leaving at 18:00 on the Thursday is because I will not get out on the morning of the 02nd as St Kats staff will not be awake and I will loose a considerable amount of tide.

I would be interested in knowing how many hours it takes for a 32 foot boat, weere the shipping lanes busy and how is the entrance into Blackenberge from an experience point of view.


Thank you for your comments so far.
Click to expand...


Blankenberge is quite alright as a destination, provided there is no onshore wind over F6. In that case Oostende and Zeebrugge are very close by and both all weather harbours, although the sea off the entrance to Zeebrugge can be very lumpy in those conditions.
You have to pay attention to the height of tide in Blankenberge, especially as the entrance tends to silt up at the end of the season. As a general rule, if your draught is 1.5m, stick to HW +/- 2.5. Keep to the leading line until you are 100 m from the seaward mark, then bear slightly to port. HW is at 18.55 local time on 2 december.
For more precise info on depth , contact one of the clubs, they will be happy to provide the information. Plenty of nice places to eat in Blankenberge, if you're keen on seafood, you might try 'De Oesterput' in the harbour.
 
Westhinder, thank you for this information it is very useful. Yes I read in the almanac about the silting that takes place and will aim to arrive 2.5 hours before HW I can also check the depth with their local dredger on channel 10 if need be. We are a Rival 32 so have 1.4 meter draft which should be fine to slip in at that time. Yes, Ostende and Zeebrugge are good bolt-holes should the weather become rough.

Richardsn9, I have been reading the thread about diesel with great interest and luckily my last fill was in Bolougne and as the boat is in St Kats I fill from the local garage with white so I should be okay, but thank you for mentioning.

Thank you again for all your assistance. :)
 
oliverkinchin said:
My idea of leaving at 18:00 on the Thursday is because I will not get out on the morning of the 02nd as St Kats staff will not be awake and I will loose a considerable amount of tide.

I would be interested in knowing how many hours it takes for a 32 foot boat, weere the shipping lanes busy and how is the entrance into Blackenberge from an experience point of view.


Thank you for your comments so far.
Click to expand...

Last time I did this down river trip I was still travelling well when passing the Montgommery at Chatham so pushed on and made Ramsgate in good time. With your tidal prediction you might consider this too. If the weather suits, and vis is satisfactory I recommend this - it'll put you in good shape for the cross Channel leg.

Ostende from Ramsgate is an easy run navigationally, and the town is a good landing place. The North Sea Harbour is easy to enter at all stages of the tide, and will have plenty of space, I think, at the time you arrive.

Running on to Blankenberg may face a stiff tidal penalty, but the entrance there is really only problematic in heavy onshore seas at low water; in these circumstancecs you will have already made the decision to put in to Ostende. Personally I wouldn't put Blankenberg above Ostende as a destination..................

PWG
 
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Oostende , high tide in winter
P1040359_resize-1.jpg
 
westhinder said:
You have to pay attention to the height of tide in Blankenberge, especially as the entrance tends to silt up at the end of the season. As a general rule, if your draught is 1.5m, stick to HW +/- 2.5.
Click to expand...

If you only have a very small window (like OP) I would not want to restrict myself to such an extent and opt for a 24h access port (like Ostend).

Even so, would not place Blankenberge above ostend as a destination. Blackpool kind of place - only with (much) better food.
VNZ club at Blankenberge very nice and welcoming though.
 
Princes Channel

One additional thought!

Using the Princes Channel, requires a good look out for shipping (but you can sail inside the channel markers) and gives you a stronger tidal push, to Ramsgate or across the channel.

Aurai
 
Thank you for all the information and the lovely photo. Okay, I will depart from St Kats at 18:00, if any of you were to make the passage on the Friday (02nd December) and you had a strong crew, would you consider doing a none stop passage over to Ostend, or would you stop at Ramsgate. I have 4 days and weather depending would like to make Ostend. I have to be back to St Kats on Monday around about midday and want to at least catch up on some sleep in Ostende before heading back. As I have to cross the shipping lanes at the 90 degree angle what time against HW Dower would you leave to make the most of the tidal streams?

I normally take the Princess Channel and would do this on this occasion also.

Thank you,

Oliver
 
oliverkinchin said:
Thank you for all the information and the lovely photo. Okay, I will depart from St Kats at 18:00, if any of you were to make the passage on the Friday (02nd December) and you had a strong crew, would you consider doing a none stop passage over to Ostend, or would you stop at Ramsgate. I have 4 days and weather depending would like to make Ostend.As I have to cross the shipping lanes at the 90 degree angle what time against HW Dower would you leave to make the most of the tidal streams?

I normally take the Princess Channel and would do this on this occasion also.

Oliver
Click to expand...

In practical terms, using the Princes Channel you would be able to go straight for Ostende:
you only need to present yourself at 90 degs to oncoming shipping in the lanes, and since you would be crossing them in daylight you should have an easy run.

I suspect that at this time of the year, it's the return that could be a bit more demanding in whch case head for Dunquerque and made the crossing from there on the better angle, assuming SW's.

Timings? Assuming favourale conditions, go for 16/17 hrs on the outrip to Ostende. You will of course give yourself leeway on the return so as not to miss St Cat's gates: a stopover at Queenborough is not exactly a thrilling thought but would position you well for the up-river.

PWG
 
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